Ice cube holder and method of handling ice cubes



l F. HUMMEL Oct. 4, w38.

ICE CUBE HOLDER AND METHODA OF HANDLING ICE CUBES Filed Sept. 14, 1937 IIIIIII :unir:

` Illd ullllflllll/l Fred Hzz/mm e M s/y Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mit CUBE HOLDER. AND METHOD or' HANDLING ICE oUBEs Fred Hummel, Hopewell, Va.

y Application September 14, 1937, Serial No. 163,852

4 Claims.

5 tainer or receptacle which/may be manipulated upon removal from thef/iiefrigerator to separate the cubes which have become frozen together.

It is a domestic practice, for example, to remove the cubes from the trays of automatic refrigerators as the cubes are frozen and to store 4them in the refrigerators in bulk in a metal or other pan or container of substantial capacity. The tumbled cubes in the storage pan adhere not only to the latter, but also to each other as a result of the refrigerating action. Consequently, when it is desired to use the stored cubes, they must be broken away from the pan and from each other. Ordinarily an ice pick is used and as a result the pan is frequently injured andthe cubes themselves are broken. The operation is wasteful and tedious.

The lessential feature of the present invention is a receptacle or holder made of exible rubber or other similar material to which ice is substantially nonadherent, the receptacle having a flap or'upper side wall extension which may be folded or brought over the charge to confine the same so that the receptacle may be manipulated, as by rolling or kneading, to apply a torsion effect to the mass of cubes so as to separate those which have become frozen together. The receptacle" may be designed for storage disposalin a pan' that of Figure 2 and a rubber receptacle of modi ed form.

Figure 4 shows in a cross-section the elements of Figure 3 in a different relation.

Figure 5 shows the receptacle of Figures 3-and e Ai in substantially the form it assumes during manipulation, and

' ceptacle whose Figure shows in cross-section a rubber re- (c1. sz-1) charging portion is self-sustaining. f Referring to the drawing and first to Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral I0 designates generally a rubber receptacle having a bottom wall III whose lower surface may be corrugated, integral end-walls II andV I2, and integral sidewalls I3 and I4 so that, as here shown. a charging portion substantially rectangular in horizontal section is provided, the charging portion, as vparticularly shown in Figure 2, being of a depth several times the maximum dimension of the usual' ice cube I5. The receptacle walls are of sheet-like rubber and for sustension the receptacle may be placed in a metal pan I6, the side walls of the receptacle beingco-extensive with those of the pan.

Side walls I3 and I4 have at their'upperedges integral flaps or extensions I1. and I8 which, as here shown, are substantially rectangular and about as long as the side walls. When the container is in storage, the flaps I1 and I8 may occupy the depending position shown inFigure 2. However, when it is desired to remove the cubes for use, the aps may be grippedto lift the receptacle from the pan and then folded across the top of the charge to confine the latter while the container is being manipulated to separate the cubes which have become frozen together, this,

condition being indicated in Figure 2'.

If desired, a 'pad I9 of rubber or similai` material may be interposed, during storage, between the bottom of the receptacle I Il and the pan I6 to eliminate any possibility of adherence of the two, and the pan may have a corrugated bottom and/or top face.

'While in Figures 1 and 2, I have, shown two iiaps on opposite side walls. these being of a width to overlap it will be understood that any other helder or flap arrangement which will serve to confine the charge during manipulation may be used. Furthermore, it will be understood that the' receptacle or holder is not confined in embodiment to the shape shown. It may be of any desired form and the pan may be designed accordingly. y

In Figure 3 I have shown the same pan I6 as in Figure 1 and a receptacle 20 similar to the receptacle lllexcept for the fact that its side and end walls all have extensions above the top of the pan and these are integrally joined so as to provide a peripherally continuous extension. 'I'he individual extensions are designated 2|, 22, 23, and 24, respectively.

During storage,`the extension may be folded over the outside of the pan irr the manner indicated in Figure 4. When the receptacle is to be removed, the extension is folded upwardly and for purposes of manipulation may be brought together in the manner shown in Figure 5 sol that it can be grasped in a single hand substantially as a bag. In Figure 5 the cubes are assumed `to have been separated as the result of suitable manipulation 'of the receptacle.

The embodiment of Figure 6 is substantially the same as that of Figure l, except that the walls as at 25 of the charging portion of the recepta- 1 cle 26 are of heavier rubber so that this portion is self-sustaining. The integral aps or extensions 21 and 28 are preferably of thinner gauge, as shown. `Although the Walls as at 25 are selfsustaining, theyI still retain a large measure of flexibility so that the receptacle may be manipulated in the manner already mentioned.

In al1 cases the surfaces of the rubber receptacles both inside and out may be corrugated or similarly configured since I have found that this formation reduces the tendency of the ice to stick to the receptacle and the receptacle to the pan, where a pan is used.

As has already been pointed out, substitution of material and variations in form and arrangement of parts may be made without departure from the invention and accordingly I do'not limit myself in these respects except as in the following claims.

I claim: I

1. In a container for the storage in a refrigerator of pre-frozen ice cubes in bulk, a pan of rigid material, and a lreceptacle of rubber or like exible material to which ice is substantially nonadherent disposed in and removable from said pan, said receptacle having side walls co-exteni-vr sive with the walls of the pan and a flap above Q said side Walls, said flap being foldable over the charge in the receptacle to confine the same so that upon removal of the receptacle from the pan it may be manipulated to separate the cubes which have become frozen together during storage. I

flexible material to which ice is substantially nony adherent disposed in and removable from said pan, said receptacle having side walls co-exten-l sive with the Walls of the pan, said side walls having upward extensions which may be folded over the outside of the pan side Walls or over the charge in the receptacle to confine the same so that upon removal of the receptacle from the pan it may be manipulated to separate the cubes which have become frozen together during storage, said extensions being of suicient length so that they can be brought together in the manner of a bag and grasped in one hand.

3. Means for the storage in a refrigerator of pre-frozen ice cubes in bulk, said means comprising a pan, and a flexible member of rubber or like material to which ice is substantially nonadherent, said member having a portion removably disposed in the pan for the reception of a charge of cubes and having opposite end portions which extend beyond the top of the pan and are foldable over the charge to conne the latter for manipulation whereby to separate thev cubes which have become frozen together during storage.

4. Themethod of handling ice cubes whichA during storage. 

